What type of event are you planning?
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Everything about booking your event.
Start with the facts below, then the ten questions people ask most. Everything else is grouped by topic, or type a word to jump straight to it. Booking the Photo Studio instead? Those questions are on the other tab.
The eight things people ask before anything else. Every one of them is answered in full further down.
From $150 an hour
Half days from $500, full days from $900. Weekends cost a little more.
50 seated or 75 standing
One or the other, not both. 50 chairs and 14 tables included.
The lot right in front of the building.
You can serve alcohol at your own risk. Selling it needs a permit.
Start early, out by 10 pm
Start as early as you've booked. Setup and breakdown sit inside your block, and everything wraps up by 10 pm.
$300, non-refundable
Holds your date. The balance is due 7 days before your event.
Or paint, fog, smoking, pets.
We'll reach out within one business day, usually quicker.
These are open. Everything else is grouped by topic below.
How much does it cost to rent the event space?
It depends on the day and the block you book. Monday through Thursday, a half day of 4 hours is $500 and a full day of 8 hours is $900, or $150 an hour with a two-hour minimum. Friday through Sunday, a half day is $700 and a full day is $1,400, or $200 an hour with a three-hour minimum. Extra hours are $125 each on weekdays and $175 on weekends. The price is the same whether you're hosting a meeting, a wedding, a class or a party.
How many guests fit?
Up to 50 people seated at tables, or up to 75 standing with cocktail tables. It's one or the other, not both. A seated dinner tops out at 50, and a standing reception where people mingle tops out at 75.
What comes with the rental?
50 white folding chairs, 6 round tables, 6 rectangle tables and 2 cocktail tables, with up to 6 chairs at each round or rectangle table. Also a sound system with a microphone, a backdrop stand, blackout shades, a prep kitchen and break room with a full size fridge, a Getting Ready Suite with two salon chairs, a Wardrobe/Flex Room with a built-in rack, two restrooms, and free parking.
Does setup and breakdown count toward my hours?
Yes. Setup and breakdown both sit inside the block you booked, so plan for both when you choose your hours. Extra hours are $125 each Monday through Thursday and $175 Friday through Sunday, so booking the longer block up front is usually cheaper and calmer than running late.
How early or how late can we use the space?
You can start as early as you like, as long as you've booked the hours. Everything has to wrap up and you need to be heading to your car by 10 pm.
Can I bring my own food or caterer?
Yes. Bring your own food or hire your own caterer. We just like to know what food and drinks you're planning, since some things can't stay in the space, so mention anything unusual when you book.
Can we serve alcohol?
Yes. You're welcome to bring your own alcohol and serve it. You just can't sell it. To sell alcohol you need a permit or a licensed bartender, and we'll ask to see it. Anyone who serves alcohol does so at their own risk, and you're responsible for anything that happens.
What is the deposit, and can I cancel?
A $300 deposit holds your date on the calendar, and the balance is due 7 days before your event. The deposit is non-refundable.
What is not allowed in the event space?
No smoking, no open flames, no smoking devices, no fog machines, no explosives, no incense, no confetti, no glitter, and no paint. Those items either damage the room or are very hard to clean up.
How do I book Legacy Studios for an event?
Send your date through the Check Your Date form on this site. We'll reach out within one business day, usually quicker, to talk through your event, confirm the date is open, and give you a quote. Your date is held once the deposit is paid and the agreement is signed.
How far in advance do I need to book?
Always reach out, because weekend dates are the most popular, so the sooner the better. Weekdays give you more flexibility. If your date is close, ask anyway, openings do come up.
Can I see the event space before I book?
Yes. Tours are by appointment. Send your date through the Check Your Date form and ask for a tour, and we will set it up when we reach out.
Is there a discount for recurring classes or workshops?
Yes. There is a special rate for hosts who book monthly or more often. Mention it when you inquire and Ari will go over the numbers with you.
Are there any hidden fees?
The tables, chairs, sound system, and parking are part of your booking at no extra cost. The things that can add to your total are extra hours, the photography add-on if you want it, and any damage to the space.
The event space
How big is the event space?
2,500 square feet in total: about 1,000 square feet of open event space and about 1,500 square feet of support rooms. It is all white, with two built-in arches and a wall of windows with sheer curtains.
Can I set the room up however I want?
Yes. The four setups people use most are classroom, boardroom, rounds, and reception. You can see those layouts on the Corporate page, and you are welcome to arrange the tables and chairs to suit your event.
Is there a kitchen, and can my caterer use it?
There is a prep kitchen and break room with a full size fridge, and it is part of your booking, so your caterer and your vendors can use it. It is made for staging and holding food rather than cooking, so plan on bringing food ready to serve or warm.
Is there somewhere to get ready?
Yes. A Getting Ready Suite with two salon chairs, and a separate Wardrobe/Flex Room with a built-in rack that also works for coats and bags. A wedding party, a presenter or anyone else can change and get ready without using the main room.
Are there restrooms?
Two, inside the event space, so your guests are not walking out into a shared hallway.
Is there Wi-Fi, a screen or a projector?
Wi-Fi yes. A screen or projector, no, so bring your own if you are presenting. There is a sound system and a backdrop stand you can use.
Can we control the light?
Yes. The wall of windows has sheer curtains for soft daylight and blackout shades when you need the room dark.
Is there anywhere for guests to sit other than at the tables?
Yes. There is lounge seating by the wall of windows, which people tend to use for cocktail hour, for a quiet conversation, or as a spot for photos.
Is there a backdrop for photos?
A backdrop stand comes with the space, so you can hang your own.
Getting there and parking
Is there parking, and does it cost anything?
There is free parking on site, in the lot right in front of the building. Your guests do not need to pay or find street parking.
Where is Legacy Studios?
601 Fayetteville St, Suite 200, Durham, NC 27701. Suite 200 is on the ground floor. It is on the edge of downtown Durham, right off the Durham Freeway, NC 147. Look for the Durham mural on the building.
Is the event space on the ground floor? Is it accessible?
Suite 200 is on the ground floor, with no stairs, and it is wheelchair accessible. That makes it easy for guests with mobility needs, anyone pushing a stroller, and vendors carrying things in.
How do my vendors load in?
Straight in from the lot. Parking sits right in front of the building and the space is on the ground floor, so there is no lift to wait for and no stairs to carry things up. Tell Ari what you are bringing and she will point your vendors to the right door.
Food, drink and vendors
Can I bring my own decorator, florist, DJ or planner?
Yes. Outside vendors are welcome.
Can we use candles?
Battery-operated candles only. Real flames are not permitted.
Can I attach decor to the walls?
Check with Ari before you attach anything to the walls or ceiling. Clients are responsible for the cost of repairing or replacing anything that gets damaged.
Can I bring a pet or an animal?
No. Pets and animals are not permitted inside the building at any time.
What you can host here
What kinds of events can I book the event space for?
Corporate meetings, offsites and trainings, micro weddings, elopements, vow renewals, rehearsal dinners, bridal showers, classes and workshops, birthdays, baby showers, gender reveals, graduations, and other celebrations. If you are not sure whether your event fits, ask.
Can I teach a class or run a workshop here?
Yes. Food is fine, and candles need to be battery-operated. For painting, just ask Ari about it first. If you run your class monthly or more often, ask about the repeat host rate.
Can Ari photograph my event?
Yes. Ari is a professional photographer and can cover your event. Inquire for a photography quote. It means you can book the room and the photographer in one place.
Can we take photos and video during our event?
Yes. Photography and video are permitted, as long as you have the consent of the people being photographed.
On the day
Will somebody from the venue be on site while I am there?
The whole event space is yours for your block, it is monitored and recorded by surveillance cameras at all times, and Ari is reachable if something comes up. Whether someone is physically on site depends on the day, so say on your call if that matters to you and she will sort it out before the date.
How do I actually get in on the day of my event?
Ari arranges access with you when you book and confirms it before your date. Photo studio sessions are different and get an access code by email, but event bookings are handled with her directly.
Do we have to clean up afterward?
Yes. Leave the space the way you found it. Take your decor, trash and belongings with you, and report any damage right away.
Can children attend?
Yes. Anyone under 18 has to be supervised at all times while on the premises.
Who is responsible for my guests?
You are. As the person who books, you are responsible for your guests following the studio policies. Not following them can end the reservation.
Can I play music, and is there a noise curfew?
Yes to music, and a sound system comes with your booking. Everything wraps up by 10 pm, and until then the noise needs to stay within reason out of respect for the other businesses in the building. If your event runs late with music, confirm it with Ari when you book.
Is the event space heated and air conditioned?
Yes, the space is climate controlled. The blackout shades also help with afternoon sun coming through the window wall, which matters more than people expect for a summer event.
Can I control the temperature in the room?
Yes. The thermostat isn't locked, so you can set the room to whatever is comfortable for your event.
The other rooms and access
Do I get the whole event space, or just the main room?
You get the whole thing, all 2,500 square feet: the main room with the two arches and the lounge seating, the prep kitchen and break room, the Getting Ready Suite, the Wardrobe/Flex Room, and both restrooms. Nobody else is booked in while you are there.
Is the Getting Ready Suite an extra charge?
No. The Getting Ready Suite with its two salon chairs is part of your booking, along with the Wardrobe/Flex Room next to it. There is no separate suite fee.
Small print
Do I need event insurance or a damage deposit?
You are responsible for the cost of repairing or replacing anything damaged during your booking. If your employer, your venue coordinator or your own insurer needs a certificate of insurance, raise it with Ari when you book so it is sorted well before the date.
Send your date and your question through the Check Your Date form, including if you want a tour. We'll reach out within one business day, usually quicker. If you would rather just email, write to legacystudiosnc@gmail.com.
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